RU2617899C2 - Control method for road charge system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: radio engineering, communication.

SUBSTANCE: ID of the registering vehicle and mobile network cell ID are registered in the switching server. The cell ID is selected in the controlling vehicle and transmitted together with the ID of the controlling vehicle to the switching server; there is a provision of binding of the ID of the controlling vehicle to the ID of the registering vehicle for which the cell ID is registered that is identical to the selected cell ID. The violation of traffic rules or rules of road charge payment are disclosed by means of the registering vehicle, and the recorded data about the violation are transmitted to the switching server, the assigned ID of the controlling vehicle is determined, the record with voilation data is transferred to the controlling vehicle, identified by the specific ID, and the record with violation data is processed in the controlling vehicle.

EFFECT: increase of disclosure of violations of traffic rules or rules of road charge payment and recovery of penalties for them.

12 cl, 8 dwg

Description

This application claims priority on the basis of European patent application No. 12153628.8, filed February 2, 2012, and European patent application No. 12189065.1, filed October 18, 2012, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a control method for a toll system that is based on on-board devices transported by vehicles.

In modern toll systems, vehicles charged with tolls are equipped with on-board units (OBUs) that can be used to locate vehicles for subsequent toll collection of tolls (tolls) for their use of the road. On-board devices (OBUs) can be devices of various designs: on-board devices (OBUs) can be devices that "determine their location", that is, which can themselves continuously determine their location, for example, via a satellite navigation system receiver as part of a satellite navigation system. systems (global satellite navigation system, GNSS) and report information about locations defined in this way ("location serifs") or primarily to the information processing center in the toll collection system via a mobile communication network or a network of geographically distributed radio beacons, or in the form of “abstracted” toll collection transactions calculated on the basis of reported locations. Alternatively, such on-board devices (OBUs) of the global satellite navigation system (GNSS) can simply save information about the reported locations or about the transactions they made to pay tolls, or withdraw the amount of fees calculated based on these locations from the internal credit account for payment tolls. On-board devices (OBUs) can also be devices whose location is determined externally, for example, using multiple beacons to collect tolls or radio beacons that are geographically distributed across the toll system and which establish the appropriate short-distance communication or DSRC (specialized short-distance communication). distances) with on-board devices (OBUs) passing by and determine their location relative to the known locations of the beacons, due to the ogre nenny range of communication. Information on the respective reported locations or on the basis of the calculated toll amounts of transactions for the payment of tolls can then be generated by on-board devices (OBUs) or radio beacons to collect tolls and processed in either the on-board devices (OBUs) or the information processing center.

The present invention is the creation of new control methods for detecting violations of traffic rules or rules for the payment of tolls and the collection of penalties for them in such toll collection systems.

This problem is solved by a control method for a toll system, which is based on on-board devices transported by vehicles having vehicle registration numbers, using at least one registration vehicle and at least one monitoring vehicle that have unique identifiers and communicate with the switching server through a cellular mobile communication network containing the following operations:

in the switching server register the identifier of the registering vehicle and the identifier of its current cell in the mobile communication network;

in the controlling vehicle, the cell identifier is selected and the selected cell identifier and the identifier of the controlling vehicle are transmitted to the switching server;

provide binding of the identifier of the controlling vehicle to the identifier of the registering vehicle for which the cell identifier is registered, identical to the selected cell identifier;

detect a violation of traffic rules or toll payment rules by the on-board device or the vehicle transporting it and read the registration number of this vehicle by means of the registering vehicle;

transmit the violation data record containing the read registration number and the identifier of the registering vehicle to the switching server, determine the assigned identifier of the controlling vehicle and transfer the violation data record to the controlling vehicle identified by a certain identifier; and

read the registration number of a passing vehicle by means of a controlling vehicle, compare the read registration number with the registration number contained in the record of violation data, and display a warning message if the registration numbers match.

The invention is based on a new approach to a distributed control system, which consists of a first fleet of recording vehicles ("hunters") and a second fleet of monitoring vehicles ("collectors") that communicate with each other through a common switching server. ʺHuntersʺ are well equipped for automatic detection of violations, and they are not required to take any other additional actions in respect of vehicles-violators, except for the generation of records with data on violations; their interactions with controlled vehicles are short-term and, therefore, they can move quickly and even check vehicles moving at high speed or in oncoming traffic, and their number can remain low, due to which the total cost of equipment does not go beyond reasonable limits. The “collectors” require a relatively small amount of equipment, because they do not detect violations, they only read the registration numbers of vehicles, look for relevant records with data on violations, and issue warning signals for violating vehicles. In this case, the crew of the controlling vehicle may, for example, stop the intruder vehicle and perform a local check manually. Due to the low equipment requirements, a large number of monitoring vehicles (“collectors”) can be provided, and therefore, they can, in particular, also conduct local inspections that are time-consuming. For example, existing fleets of special-purpose vehicles, such as, for example, emergency services vehicles, public transport vehicles, taxis, etc., can be turned into control vehicles and carry out their control functions mobile in a moving traffic stream and stationary in a stopped transport, while several complex recording vehicles (“hunters”) continuously move in a traffic stream with high mobility and generate recordings and violations of data. As a result, the automatic control devices for on-board devices themselves can be implemented even in large, highly branched road networks that contain high-speed lanes and oncoming lanes.

The use of cell identifiers of a cellular mobile network to associate “hunters” and “collectors” with certain territories provides the ability to anonymously determine the location, providing very approximate and uncertain information about the location of “hunters”; The locations of об collectors ’are usually kept secret. “Collectors” can subscribe to receive records of violation data or book receipt from “hunters” in the desired mobile communication cell, and the choice of the desired mobile communication cell is left to the sole discretion of the “collector”. Therefore, even interception of information transmitted over the mobile communication network between the “hunters”, the switching server and the “collectors”, or data leakage in the switching server does not provide specific information about the locations of the “hunters” and generally no information about the locations of the “collectors”. Thus, with a high degree of certainty, it can be argued that misuse of the system is prevented, similar to what might occur, for example, if information about the current situation of controlling vehicles were published on the Internet or broadcasted in radio broadcasts, and significantly increased the effectiveness of the control method.

The corresponding identifier of the current cell of the registering vehicle can be determined directly by him, for example, by requesting information about the received data or the configuration data of its transceiver of the mobile communication network and can be transmitted to the switching server. Alternatively, the identifier of the current cell of the registering vehicle may also be determined by the switching server based on information that the server receives or requests via the mobile communication network, for example, by exchanging information with a switching center (mobile switching center, MSC) or with base stations (transceivers base stations, BST) with which the registering vehicle is in communication.

According to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the selection of the cell identifier in the controlling vehicle is made by its selection by the user. A user can find a cell identifier that has a cell of a mobile communication network serving a specific geographical area, for example, based on maps and tables, and transmit it to the switching server via an input device and a transceiver of the mobile communication network. It is possible, but not necessary, the cell identifiers registered in the switching server are preferably transmitted to the controlling vehicle either upon request or periodically, where they are displayed to the user for selection by the user. In addition, registered identifiers of monitoring vehicles can also be transmitted for cell identifiers and displayed for the user to receive, for example, information about how many monitoring vehicles are currently in a particular mobile communication cell.

Selectable cell identifiers (and possibly, but not necessarily, the corresponding registered identifiers of the monitoring vehicles) can be displayed to the user both in the form of a printout and on the display, preferably in graphically edited form as a digital map area for easy selection.

In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the monitoring vehicle itself determines its own current mobile network identifier, for example, by issuing requests for configuration data or received data about its transceiver in the mobile network, and uses it as the selected cell identifier for transfers to the switching server. Thus, “collectors” (registering vehicles), in essence, automatically subscribe to receiving records of violations from “hunters” (controlling vehicles) located in the same cell of mobile communication, without specific information about the locations of “hunters” or “collectors” exchanged and which is at risk of unauthorized use of data.

The recording vehicle can itself determine the location of the violation, for example, through the receiver of the satellite navigation system or receive information about it directly from the on-board device being checked, for example, if it contains a specialized location device or has information about its location obtained in another way, for example, from a stationary a beacon.

The method of the present invention is suitable for on-board devices (OBUs) (using DSRCs) of both types: for on-board devices (OBUs), which are devices whose location is determined externally and which already contain a short-distance specialized radio interface (DSRC communication interface), and for on-board devices (OBUs) of the global satellite navigation system (GNSS), which are devices that "determine their location" that additionally contain a DSRC radio interface for controlling and Three.

The number of monitoring vehicles is preferably significantly larger than the number of recording vehicles, in particular preferably at least ten times larger.

Violations detected by a registering vehicle may include all types of violations of toll payment rules or traffic rules that can be detected automatically, for example, speeding violations detected by a speed measuring device in a registering vehicle, driving prohibitions (including time bans) detected by the vehicle detection device available in the registration vehicle, etc. P. Violations are preferably violations of the rules of payment of tolls, and, in particular, those violations that can be detected on the basis of the parameter of the toll, which can be read from the on-board device via the DSRC radio interface. Such parameters of the toll may be arbitrary and provide information, for example, about the purpose of using the vehicle (for example, a vehicle for emergency services, a public transport vehicle, private car, truck, etc.), about the status of the user of the vehicle, about the size, weight, ecological class, number of axles of the vehicle or the relationship between the on-board device (individual for each user) and the physical vehicle (for example, by reference e on the license plate), etc. Whenever calculating a toll, either while exchanging information with a radio beacon to collect tolls, or when calculating transaction amounts to pay tolls based on the reported locations, the toll parameters charged to the OBU are used to determine the amount of the toll, or even to determine whether the toll is payable.

Thus, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the detection in the recording vehicle is as follows: at least one toll parameter is read from the on-board device via the DSRC radio interface and the correctness of this toll parameter is checked.

In yet another aspect of the invention, it relates in particular to checking toll parameters depending on the shape of a particular vehicle. Such parameters depending on the shape of a particular vehicle, which determine the amount of the toll to be paid, can be, for example, the dimensions of the vehicle, the number of axles at the current time (with or without a trailer), a specific body structure, such as a truck or passenger car, etc., and they can be set or saved as toll parameters in the on-board device. To detect illegal improper settings of such toll parameters, the recording vehicle contains a DSRC transceiver for reading the toll parameter charged from the passing vehicle and a sensor for detecting a parameter characterizing the shape of the vehicle, and this recording vehicle is configured to check compliance the toll parameter to the parameter characterizing the shape and, in case of non-compliance, to transfer pisi data abuse, including information on the place where the infringement occurred, and the result of reading the registration number of the vehicle, the switching server.

Alternatively, or in addition to this, the recording vehicle may be equipped with a device for measuring the speed and preferably the direction of movement of a passing vehicle to determine also a violation of traffic rules or toll payment rules based on these measured values.

As described above, the detectable parameter characterizing the shape or the readable parameter of the toll may preferably be the length of the vehicle or the number of axles, which, in particular, are subdivided into categories (“classified”). A parameter characterizing the shape of the vehicle being monitored can be detected in a variety of different ways, for example, using an electronic camera containing an object recognition program, using a radar detector to measure the vehicle or to detect its wheels, or preferably using a laser rangefinder or laser scanning a device that (which) detects at least part of the shape of the vehicle by scanning it when it oezzhaet past. Due to the relative movement between the recording vehicle and the controlled vehicle, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image (profile or “point cloud” from laser distance measuring points) is created of at least a part of the vehicle, and based on it, for example, using the object recognition program, the parameter can be obtained characterizing the shape, for example, the length of the vehicle or the number of axles, on the basis of which, for example, it can be concluded definitely the vehicle category (car, truck, trailer truck, etc.).

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

in FIG. 1 schematically shows a general view of the operating principle of the control devices and the control method of the present invention in the aggregate of vehicles in the road network and in the cellular mobile communication network;

in FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b shows various components of the device and method steps when a controlled vehicle passes a recording vehicle;

in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b shows various components of the device and method steps when a controlled vehicle passes a monitoring vehicle; and

in FIG. 4a - FIG. 4c shows a flow chart of a method according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a toll system 1 in which a plurality of toll vehicles 2 travel on a road network that is not shown in detail, such as a national road network. The system of levying tolls is used to levy tolls (duties) for the arbitrary use of the road by vehicles 2, and, in particular, as for the use of carriageways for road traffic in the form of tolls for traveling on the highway, territory, for passage or at the intersection border, and for the use of carriageways for stopped transport, in the form of a fee for visiting or parking.

For this, according to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, all vehicles 2 with which tolls are charged are equipped with on-board devices (OBUs) 3 that can be used to determine the location of vehicles 2, and therefore they may be charged tolls. On-board devices (OBU) 3 can be devices of various designs: on-board devices (OBU) 3 can be devices that "determine their location", that is, which can themselves continuously determine their location, for example, through the receiver of a satellite navigation system as part satellite navigation system (global satellite navigation system, GNSS) and report information about locations defined in this way ("location serifs") or only to the information processing center 4 in the toll collection system 1 either via a mobile communication network or a network of geographically distributed beacons, or in the form of “abstracted” transactions for paying tolls calculated on the basis of the reported locations. Alternatively, such on-board devices (OBUs) 3 of the global satellite navigation system (GNSS) can simply save information about the reported locations or about the transactions they made to pay tolls or withdraw the amount of fees calculated based on these locations from the internal credit account for payment tolls. On-board devices (OBUs) 3 can also be devices whose location is determined externally, for example, using multiple beacons to collect tolls or radio beacons that are geographically distributed in toll system 1 and which establish appropriate short-distance or specialized communications for short distances (DSRC) with passing on-board devices (OBU) 3 and determine their location relative to the known locations of the beacons, which is due to limited communication range. Information on the respective reported locations or on the basis of the calculated toll amounts of the transaction for the payment of tolls can then be generated by the on-board devices (OBU) 3 or radio beacons for charging tolls and processed either in the on-board devices (OBU) 3 or in the processing center 4 information.

In order to calculate the tolls correctly, the toll system 1 sets one or more toll OC parameters specific to the respective vehicle 2 or stores them in the on-board units (OBUs) 3. The OC toll parameters can be any arbitrary type and may, for example, provide information about the purpose of using the vehicle 2 (for example, a vehicle for emergency services, a public transport vehicle, personal car, truck, etc.), a vehicle user status 2, the size, the weight, of the environmental class of the vehicle's number of axles 2 with or without a trailer, etc. Whenever calculating a toll, either while exchanging information with a radio beacon to collect tolls, or when calculating transaction amounts to pay tolls based on reported locations, the toll OC parameters charged to OBU 3 are used to determine the toll amount or even for determining whether toll is due.

As described below, the toll parameters OC under consideration include those that can be verified (rechecked) by checking the appearance, that is, the shape of the vehicle 2 transporting the OBU 3. In this invention, such toll parameters OC are referred to as depending on forms of a specific vehicle. The toll OC parameters depending on the shape of the particular vehicle may, for example, include one or more dimensions of the vehicle 2, information about the structure of the body thereof (box body, platform body, passenger car body or truck body), about the number of axles, about the number of trailers, etc.

The control devices and methods described below are suitable for those on-board devices (OBUs) 3 for which the toll parameters OC set or stored in them, depending on the shape of a particular vehicle, can be read via the DSRC radio interface, which takes place for example, in the case of on-board devices (OBUs) with DSRCs conforming to RFID, CEN-DSRC, UNI-DSRC, -G5 or WAVE (wireless access in vehicle environment) standards. Also suitable are the GNSS Airborne Unit Devices (OBUs) 3, which further comprise a DSRC radio interface for reading their toll parameters for monitoring tasks, and they can be checked as described below.

In addition, it goes without saying that the control devices and methods described here are also capable of even detecting whether the vehicle 2 toll is equipped with an on-board unit (OBU) 3, and to check the functionality of the OBU 3, since for reading the parameters of the road The collection requires a properly functioning OBU 3.

Finally, the described control devices and methods are also capable of detecting and penalizing for ordinary violations of the rules of the vehicle 2, for example, violations related to speeding, violations of driving prohibitions (at night) and other violations of the rules of the movement, as they may be automatically detected by measuring devices, sensors, etc.

The control device is used for the aforementioned control tasks in the system of toll collection 1, which consists of a first fleet of recording vehicles 5, a second fleet of monitoring vehicles 6 and a switching server 7 in the information processing center 4.

Preferably, a significantly larger number of monitoring vehicles 6 is provided than recording vehicles 5. The ratio of the number of monitoring vehicles 6 to the number of recording vehicles 5 is preferably at least 10: 1 and preferably 100: 1, 1000: 1 or more. As described below, monitoring vehicles 6 have a simpler design than recording vehicles 5 and operate with a different behavior when driving, which leads to a balanced ratio of coverage areas for the areas of operation of recording and monitoring vehicles at a minimum cost. Registration vehicles 5 continuously move in the traffic stream, and their interactions with controlled vehicles 2 are short-lived, while monitoring vehicles 6 can be used both as mobile vehicles and as stationary vehicles, and can have longer interactions with controlled vehicles vehicles 2, if they carry out checks with a stop or impose penalties for violations of the rules for paying tolls.

As shown in a general view in FIG. 1, registration vehicles 5 are used to track those vehicles 2 that commit violations of traffic rules or rules of payment of tolls, for example, commit a violation related to speeding, or which contain a defective or incorrectly installed OBU 3, or do not contain it at all , at the correspondingly specified detection ranges, and transmit this information as information about a violation of traffic rules or toll payment rules in the form of a record with violation data in the switching Server 7; the interactions that take place for this purpose between the recording vehicle 5 and the vehicle 2 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. Monitoring vehicles 6 are used to check those vehicles 2 that are located in the appropriate vicinity, taking into account the records of violations adopted for these vehicles, and to issue a warning message if there is a data record about vehicle 2 violation. In this case, the crew of the controlling vehicle 6 can carry out an additional additional check and take coercive measures, for example, stop the vehicle 2, check the traffic flow, collect an additional toll, impose a fine, etc. The interactions that take place between the controlling vehicle 6, the switching server 7 and the vehicle 2 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. four.

To this end, the recording vehicles 5, the monitoring vehicles 6 and the switching center 7 are connected to each other by a cellular mobile network N and, in particular, a GSM, UMTS or LTE network, preferably via packet switched connections. The cellular mobile network N contains a plurality of geographically distributed base stations 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ , ..., or, generally, 9 _i , each of which serves a geographical area (“cell”) C _i . In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 shows, by way of example, base stations 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ and their cells C ₁ , C _{2 of} a mobile communication network that are delimited by a boundary G indicated by a dashed line.

Typically, a mobile communication network N comprises one or more switching centers MSC to which base stations 9 _{i are} connected via a data network BB (backbone network), which is a prior art. The switching server 7 can be directly connected to the data network BB or to the mobile switching center MSC, or it can support wireless communication directly from one of the base stations 9 _i . The switching server 7 can also be directly implemented by the MSC switching center or the information processing center 4 for receiving payments in the toll collection system 1.

One skilled in the art will recognize that each cell C _i in the mobile communication network N is identified by a unique identifier CID _1, CID ₂ , ..., or, more generally, CID _{i of the} cell. The cell identifier CID _i for each cell C _i in which the network subscriber is currently located, for example, the registration vehicle 5 or the monitoring vehicle 6, is known in the mobile communication network N both to the switching center MSC and the corresponding subscriber to the network 5, 6, and is used in the framework of this method to establish correspondence between the geographical areas of location of the recording vehicles 6 and the controlling vehicles 6, which will be described in more detail below.

In FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, one of the recording vehicles 5 is shown in detail at two consecutive times when the vehicle 2 on the road 10 passes by in the oncoming traffic stream. The registration vehicle 5 is equipped with a DSRC transceiver 11 for DSRC radio communication with OBU 3 of the vehicle 2, a registration number reader 12 for automatically reading (optical character recognition, OCR) of the registration number from the license plate 13 of the vehicle 2 and the sensor 14, which is here is a laser scanning device for detecting a parameter characterizing the external shape of the vehicle 2, which is hereinafter referred to as the parameter CL characterizing the shape. As described above, the recording vehicle 5 is further equipped with a transceiver 15 of the mobile communication network for exchanging information in the mobile communication network N.

In this example, the CL parameter characterizing the shape is the category of the vehicle (ʺ passenger car ’, ʺ two-axle truck’, ос three-axle truck ’, ос four-axle truck’, ʺ truck with trailer ’, etc.); however, it goes without saying that the shape parameter CL can be any other characteristic of the external shape of the vehicle 2, which can be detected by the sensor 14, similarly to the aforementioned toll parameter OC, depending on the shape of the particular vehicle.

The sensor 14 for detecting the shape parameter CL can be performed by any method known in the prior art, for example, in the form of an electronic camera that can record one or more images of a passing vehicle 2, including images from various angles observation, and these images are then used to extract the corresponding characteristics and parameters characterizing the shape of the vehicle 2, through the image recognition program. Alternatively, the sensor 14 may be a radar or laser range finder or a laser scanning device that scans a vehicle 2 as it passes by using a radar or laser pointed beam or fan beam 14 'to detect one or more dimensions or contours of a passing by vehicle 2 as a scan profile from a cloud of scan points.

The registration number reader 12 provided in the registration vehicle 5 performs the prior art reading procedure with optical character recognition (OCR reading) of the official registration number (LPN) on the license plate number 13 of the vehicle 2 (“Automatic Registration Number Recognition”, ALNR ); the imaging trajectory or information flow is schematically shown by arrow 16.

The DSRC transceiver 11 of the recording vehicle 5 establishes a DSRC radio communication 17 with the OBU 3 to: a) determine whether the vehicle 3 has an OBU 3, b) verify by this (implicitly) whether the OBU 3 responds, which, say, is functioning correctly, and c) to read the OC toll parameter, set or stored in OBU 3, for further study. During this study, the read toll parameter OC for OBU 3 should correspond to the CL parameter characterizing the shape of the vehicle 2 detected by the sensor 14. For example, if the toll parameter OC indicates “three-wheeled truck”, then the sensor 14 should also detect the CL parameter that does not contradict it, characterizing the form; otherwise, there is a violation of the rules for the payment of tolls, and vehicle 2 is an “offending vehicle”.

It goes without saying that the toll parameter OC, read from OBU 3, can additionally depend on other components than the vehicle’s shape, for example on the condition or purpose of using the vehicle 2, on time, on general time conditions (for example, on prohibition driving at night), from restrictions imposed on the ecological class of the vehicle, from speed, etc., which can also be taken into account when checking the violation.

All components of the recording vehicle 5, which are the DSRC transceiver 11, the registration number reader 12 and the sensor 14, are connected to each other, possibly, but not necessarily, through a control unit (not shown), and, as described above, the recording vehicle means 5 may support wireless communication with a central switching server 7 by means of a transceiver 15 of a mobile communication network.

The control method implemented by the recording vehicles 5, the monitoring vehicles 6 and the switching server 7 will be described in more detail below based on FIG. 4 with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. In FIG. 4a shows the steps of initial registration, selection and binding in a method in preparation for subsequent recording steps (see FIG. 2, FIG. 4b) and control steps (see FIG. 3, FIG. 4c).

According to FIG. 4a, in the first operation 18, each registration vehicle 5 determines a cell identifier CID _A1 , which has a cell C _{i of} the mobile network N in which it is currently located. The cell identifier CID _A1 may be read, for example, from the communication parameters of the transceiver 15.

In the next operation 19, the registering vehicle 5 is registered in the switching server 7 under the corresponding unique identifier A ₁ , A ₂ , ..., or, generally, A _{j of the} registering vehicle with the corresponding identifier CID _A1 , CID _A2 , ..., or, more generally, CID _Aj cells. The unique identifier A _{j of the} registration vehicle 5 can be of any arbitrary form, for example, it can be the registration number of the vehicle, the user ID of the registration vehicle 5, for example, name, account or credit card number, on-board device identifier of the registration vehicle 5, identifier its transceiver 15 of the mobile communication network in the mobile communication network N, for example, a telephone number, IMSI, TIMSI, IMEI, and the like.

Instead of registering the vehicle 5, the determination of the CID _{Aj of} its cell in step 18 can also be performed or initiated from the switching server 7, for example, as follows: the switching server 7 issues a request for obtaining the CID _{Aj of the} cell from the switching center MSC or from the base station 9 _i N mobile networks.

It goes without saying that the registration vehicles 5 can respectively update the registration {A _j , CID _Aj } of the identifier of the corresponding cell in the switching server 7 when switching the cell C _i , or they can also periodically update them and, accordingly, cancel the registration again, for example, when leaving the N mobile network. Thus, the switching server 7 has at its disposal a continuously updated table 20 of registration vehicles 5, which move from one place to another in the mobile communication network N, which includes the corresponding identifiers A _j and identifiers CID _Aj cells.

In the following operations 21, the monitoring vehicles 6 can, therefore, find the corresponding identifiers CID _{Aj of the} cells that are currently stored (“destined”) in the switching server 7 in table 20, possibly, but not necessarily, supplemented by the corresponding registered identifiers A _{j of} registering vehicles funds. Transmission operation 21 may be performed, for example, at the request of the controlling vehicle 6, or may be performed periodically from the switching server 7.

In the monitoring vehicles 6, the cell identifiers CID _Aj thus obtained are displayed to the user of the monitoring vehicle 6 for selection. This can be implemented in the form of a list in the form of a table on the output device (monitor, display) in the controlling vehicle 6, preferably on screen 22, using a digital card stored in the controlling vehicle 6 or in the switching server 7 and on which cell C _j together with the identifiers CID _Aj these cells displayed as geographical areas, with their respective boundaries G. Possibly, but not necessarily, the identifiers a _j registering a vehicle registered in a particular cell C _j, When this, for example, can be listed in it are registering vehicles 5.

Based on the information presented on screen 22, the user of the controlling vehicle 6 can now select one (or more) cell identifiers (cell identifiers). The cell identifier selected (cell identifiers selected) in the monitoring vehicle 6 and the identifier B ₁ , B ₂ , ..., or, more generally, B _{k of the} monitoring vehicle are referred to below as CID _B1 , CID _B2 , ..., or, more generally, CID _Bk .

The operation of selecting the corresponding identifier (s) CID _{Bk of the} cell (s) manually is shown by dashed line 23, and it leads to operation 24, in which the selected identifier (s) CID _{Bk of the} cell (s) together with the identifier B _{k of the} monitoring vehicle 6 transmit (27) to the switching server 7.

The identifier B _{k of the} monitoring vehicle can again be an identifier of any arbitrary type, as mentioned above with respect to the identifier A _{j of the} recording vehicle, and is used to uniquely identify the corresponding monitoring vehicle 6 in the mobile communication network N. It goes without saying that the controlling vehicles 6 can also send corresponding messages 27 (or 43, see Fig. 4c) to the switching server 7 about canceling the selection or canceling the reservation if they no longer have a specific (booked) specific CID _Bk honeycombs.

Thus, the switching server 7 has at its disposal a current table 28 of CID identifiers _{Bk of the} cells selected by the controlling vehicle 6 having the identifier B _k , and the controlling vehicle 6 may also have more than one selected identifier CID _{Bk of the} cell.

In the next binding operation 29, the switching vehicle identifiers B _k can be linked to the identifying vehicle identifiers A _j for which the cell identifier CID _Aj is identical to the selected cell identifiers CID _Bk . Thus, the selected identifiers CID _Bk cells from table 28 are checked to see if they are in registration table 20, and if they are there, then the corresponding identifier A _{j of the} registration vehicle is assigned the corresponding identifier B _{k of the} monitoring vehicle. As a result, the controlling vehicles 6 (“collectors”) make “quasi-reservations” or “quasi-subscriptions” of the registration vehicles 5 (“hunters”) in order to receive subsequently records of violation data, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4b and FIG. 4c. Thus, the binding operation 29 leads to the assignment table 30 in the switching server 7, and this table contains information about the “monitored” control vehicles 6 having the control vehicle identifier B _k depending on the identifiers CID _i cell for the registering vehicle 5, having the identifier A _{j of the} registering vehicle.

In a simplified embodiment of the invention, the card-like formatting of the mobile radio cells C _j on the screen 22 can be omitted, and the cell identifiers CID _Aj that can be selected in step 21 can be displayed, for example, in a list. Alternatively, operation 21 and the display of information on the display 22 can be completely excluded, and at operation 23, the user personally chooses, for example, based on maps, lookup tables, and the like. identifier CID _{Bk of the} cell, regardless of whether there are currently registering vehicles 5 in the corresponding cell C _j or not.

In yet another embodiment, the cell identifier CID _Bk can also be automatically selected by the controlling vehicle 6, see operation 25, instead of manually selecting operation 23 and the optional previous operations 21, 22. In operation 25, the monitoring vehicle 6 determines, for example, its own identifier CID _{Bk of the} cell in the mobile communication network N (similar to operation 18), for example, by issuing a request for receiving communication parameters of its own transceiver 26 of the mobile communication network (see Fig. 3), and their giving as the “selected” identifier CID _Bk cells in operations 24, 27, 29 reservation and binding. Thus, the controlling vehicle 6 subscribes for the registration vehicles 5 present in its own cell C _{k of} the mobile communication network.

Now a more detailed description will be given of the operating principle of the recording vehicle 5 and the registration procedure, which is performed when the vehicle 2 passes by, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4b. When the vehicle 2 approaches the registration vehicle 5 (operation 31), the first operation 32 reads the registration number (LPN) of the vehicle 2 from the license plate 13 using the registration number reader 12 (arrow 16). In the method of FIG. 4b, operation 32 can also be performed at any later point in time, if the result of reading the registration number (LPN) is not required, for example, this can be done later by reading the rear license plate 13 of the vehicle 2.

After that, an operation 33 is performed, in which the parameter CL characterizing the shape of the vehicle 2 is detected by the sensor 14, in the example shown this is performed by laser scanning and detecting the number of axles of the vehicle 2, on the basis of which the category is determined as the shape characterizing parameter CL vehicle (ʺcategoryʺ) based on the number of axles.

In the next decision step 34, on the basis of the parameter CL characterizing the form, it is checked whether tolls should be levied on vehicle 2. For example, it can be determined that tolls are not levied on two-axle vehicles 2, and it can be determined that tolls are charged on vehicles 2 with more than two axles. If the CL parameter characterizing the form indicates that the tolls must be paid (ʺyʺ branch), then at the next step 35 they establish contact with the OBU 3, in which the DSRC transceiver 11 is used (arrow 17). For this, the toll parameter OC is read from OBU 3, and a successful read also indicates that OBU 3 is present and operational. Then, the next decision operation 36 is performed, which switches the operation procedure directly to the violation data record (DELR) operation 38 if the reading is unsuccessful (branch ʺnʺ).

Otherwise (branch ʺyʺ of operation 36), in the next decision operation 37, it is checked whether the detected shape parameter CL and the read toll parameter OC correspond to each other or whether they are consistent with each other, i.e., if the toll parameter OC is set for OBU 3 corresponding to the CL parameter characterizing the shape that was detected on the basis of the external shape of the vehicle 2. If this is the case (branch ʺyʺ), then everything is fine, and the method ends with operation 39. If this is not the case (branch ʺnʺ), then essentially It exists a mismatch, which is a potential violation of the rules of the payment of road tolls, and the process proceeds to step 38 to generate recording data abuse (DELR).

At operation 38, a violation record (DELR) is generated that contains the detected parameter CL characterizing the shape, the toll parameter OC read, and the registration number reading (LPN) result, and possibly, but not necessarily, other data, such as, for example, information about the current location (“the place where the violation occurred”) DO and the current point in time (“violation time”) DT of the recording process, additional basic data read from OBU 3, such as, for example, OBU identifier (OID), user basic data based vehicle details, etc. The violation record (DELR) also contains the identifier A _{j of the} respective controlling vehicle 5.

The DO location where the violation occurred can be determined in many different ways: the recording vehicle 5 can be equipped with a separate location device, for example, a satellite navigation system receiver, and can record the current location of the vehicle as the DO location where the violation occurred. In an alternative embodiment, OBU 3, in particular if it is a device of this type, which itself determines its location, can make information about its current location available to the registering vehicle 5 as the DO site where the violation occurred. The known locations of adjacent beacons of the beacon-based toll collection system 1 may also be used for approximation.

Then, operation 40 is performed, in which a violation data record (DELR) is transmitted to the switching server 7 for transfer (operation 41) to the monitoring vehicles 6.

It goes without saying that operations 32 to 37 can also be performed in a different order if there is no need for the results of one of them to be executed by the other.

Below, a description will be given of operations performed in the switching server 7 and in the exemplary controlling vehicle 6, with reference to the drawings of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4c. In the drawings of FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b shows a situation where the controlling vehicle 6 passes by the controlled vehicle 2 at two consecutive times. In preparation for such a test (or during it), the switching server 7 sends to the monitoring vehicles 6 those records with data on violations (DELR) that come from the monitoring vehicles 6, subscribed according to table 30 assignments. For this, the switching server 7 uses the assignment table 30 to forward the violation data record (DELR) received from the registering vehicle 5 having the identifier A _j to all those monitoring vehicles 6 that have the identifiers B _k recorded in table 30 In the illustrated example, records of violation data (DELR) created by the registering vehicle 5 having the identifier A ₁ are sent to the monitoring vehicles 6 having the identifiers B ₁ , B ₄ ; records of violation data (DELR) created by a registering vehicle 5 having an identifier A ₂ are sent to control vehicles having identifiers B ₂ , B ₃ and B ₇ , etc.

The controlling vehicle 6 includes the violation data records (DELR) provided in this way (operation 41) in the local list of 42 violation data records (locDELR).

Forwarding of records of violation data (DELR) during operation 41 can be performed as continuously, for example, periodically or as needed, while, for example, the switching server 7 transmits each individual record of violation data (DELR) to the corresponding monitoring vehicle 6 , and in the form of packets (using batch processing), while the controlling vehicle 6 finds those records with data on violations (DELR), which were provided separately at a particular time from the switching nnogo server 7, or receives them transmitted from the server.

At an arbitrary point in time (DT), when the violation was committed, records of violation data (DELR) also have a corresponding “time stamp”, which can limit the validity of the records. For example, records of violation data (DELR) that are “too old”, that is, that have time stamps (DT) that go beyond a specified period of time, can be automatically canceled both in the switching server 7 and in the monitoring vehicle 6, and / or the switching server 7 can send to the monitoring vehicle 6 only "current" records of violation data (DELR), that is, those that have time stamps (DT) that do not exceed a predetermined period of time.

As described above, during the registration step shown in FIG. 4a, the control vehicles 6 “record” the receipt of data on violation (DELR) from the registration vehicles 6 from the selected cells C _{k of} the mobile communication network until, during operation 43, they will notify the switching server 7 message 27 about the deselection or cancellation reservation. Thus, the monitoring vehicles 6 provide relevant current records with data on violations (DELR) from the desired cell (from the desired cells) C _{k of} the mobile communication network and when passing by vehicle 2 or when checking it, they can perform monitoring tasks 44 using the corresponding local list of 42 records of violations.

According to the drawings of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4c, during the execution of each control task 44 when the vehicle 2 is approaching (operation 45), the first operation 46 is performed, in which the registration number (LPN) is automatically read from the license plate 12 using the registration number reading device 47 available in the control vehicle tool 6 (arrow 48). After that, operation 49 is performed, in which the controlling vehicle 6 selects the corresponding violation data record (DELR) from the local list of violation data records 42, if such a record exists. If there is no violation record (DELR) for the result of reading the registration number (LPN) (branch ʺnʺ in the check operation 50), task 44 is completed by operation 51, and the result of reading the registration number (LPN) can be deleted again, for example, from privacy considerations. However, if for the result of reading the registration number (LPN) a violation data record (DELR) exists (branch ʺyʺ), then the method makes a conditional transition to the warning operation 52, in which the controlling vehicle 6 gives the crew a warning message.

A warning message may be, for example, an optical or acoustic warning, or information displayed on a display screen 22, which (which) also indicates a read LPN registration number and a violation record (DELR). In this case, the crew may take appropriate coercive measures, such as stopping vehicle 2, performing additional OBU 3 checks, and possibly, but not necessarily, collecting additional tolls or imposing a fine. In addition, a warning message can be automatically displayed on the alarm device 55 available in the monitoring vehicle 6, which is visible from the outside for the vehicle 2 being tested (arrow 56), to remind him to stop, for example, using a fluorescent inscription ʺ STOP ʺ.

It is possible, but not necessary, in addition to completing task 44, information is also read from OBU 3 again using the DSRC transceiver 53 of the monitoring vehicle 6 (arrow 54), for example, for additional consistency checks or for identifications.

The recording vehicle 5 may be equipped with a device 57 for measuring the speed and direction of movement, that is, the motion vector v of the vehicle 2, but this is not a prerequisite. The device 57 can also be implemented by means of a registration number reader 12, made in the form of a video camera, and in the images obtained by which movements can be detected, or by a DSRC transceiver 12, made in the form of a Doppler radar, or by appropriate measurements with using a sensor 14, for example, measurements using a laser or laser locator with a scanning beam or a fan beam 15.

In addition, to detect common violations of the rules of movement of vehicles 2, for example, to detect violations associated with speeding, speed measuring devices 11, 12, 14, 57 can be used with the recording vehicle 5. Information about the vehicle's motion vector v 2 at that point in time (DT) when the violation occurred, can be included in the record of violation data (DELR).

Thus, the present invention is not limited to the demonstrated options for its implementation, but encompasses all options and modifications that do not go beyond the scope defined by the attached claims.

Claims (21)

1. A control method for a toll system (1) based on on-board devices (3) transported by vehicles (2) having vehicle registration numbers (LPN) using at least one registration vehicle (5) and at least one monitoring vehicle (6) that have unique identifiers (A _j , B _k ) and communicate with the switching server (7) via the cellular mobile communication network (N), comprising the steps of: in the switching server (7) register (19) the identifier (A _j ) of the registering vehicle (5) and the identifier (CID _Aj ) of its current cell in the mobile communication network; in the control vehicle (6), the cell identifier (CID _Bk ) is selected (23 - 25) and the selected cell identifier (CID _Bk ) and the control vehicle identifier (B _k ) (6) are transmitted (27) to the switching server (7); provide binding (29) of the identifier (B _k ) of the controlling vehicle to the identifier (A _j ) of that registering vehicle for which the cell identifier (CID _Aj ) is identical to the selected cell identifier (CID _Bk ); detect (33, 35) the fact of violation of traffic rules or toll payment rules by the on-board device (3) or the vehicle transporting it (2) and the registration number (LPN) of this vehicle is read by means of the registration vehicle (5); transmit (40) a violation data record (DELR) containing the read registration number (LPN) and the identifier of the registering vehicle (A _j ) to the switching server (7), determine (30) the assigned identifier (B _k ) of the controlling vehicle and transmitting (41) a violation data record (DELR) to a controlling vehicle (6) identified by a specific identifier (B _k ); and read (46) registration number (LPN) of a passing vehicle (2) by means of a controlling vehicle (6), compare (49, 50) the read registration number (LPN) with the registration number (LPN) contained in the record of violation data (DELR), and a warning message is output (52) if the registration numbers match. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identifier (CID _Aj ) of the current cell of the registering vehicle (5) is determined in the registering vehicle (5) and it transmits it to the switching server (7). 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identifier (CID _Aj ) of the current cell of the registering vehicle (5) is determined in the switching server (7) based on information from the mobile communication network (N). 4. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, characterized in that the selection of the identifier (CID _Bk ) of the cell in the controlling vehicle (6) is performed by selecting it (23) by the user. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the identifiers (CID _Aj ) of the cells registered in the switching server (7) are transmitted to the controlling vehicle (6), where they are displayed to the user for selection (23) by the user. 6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the selectable identifiers (CID _Aj ) of the cells are displayed to the user on the display (22) in the form of geographical areas (C _j ) of a digital map. 7. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, characterized in that as the selected identifier (CID _Bk ) cells determine and use the identifier (CID _Bk ) of the current cell of the mobile communication network of the monitoring vehicle (6). 8. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, characterized in that when a fact of violation of traffic rules or rules of payment of tolls is detected, the location of the registering vehicle (5) is determined by means of a satellite navigation system and information about it is added to the record with violation data (DELR) as a place where the violation occurred, (DO). 9. The control method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3 for a toll system using airborne devices (3), from which at least one toll parameter (OC), depending on the shape of a particular vehicle, can be read through the DSRC radio interface (17, 54) ( specialized radio communication over short distances), characterized in that the recording vehicle (5) performs the following steps, in which: reading (35) the toll parameter (OC) of a passing vehicle (2) by means of a DSRC transceiver (11); detecting (33) a parameter (CL) characterizing the shape of the vehicle (2) by means of a sensor (14); check (37) the toll parameter (OC) for compliance with the shape parameter (CL), and in case of non-compliance, send (40) a violation record (DELR). 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the parameter (CL) characterizing the shape and the toll parameter (OC) are the respective vehicle length or the corresponding number of vehicle axles. 11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that a laser scanning device is used as a sensor (14). 12. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, characterized in that the speed and, preferably, the direction of movement of a passing vehicle (2) is measured in a registering vehicle (5) and that a violation of traffic rules or toll payment rules is also determined based on these measured values (v )

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